When it’s finally released — and it will be, mark my words — Clamfight‘s I vs. the Glacier will hit you so hard your pants are going to shit themselves. You’re not even going to shit your pants. They’re going to do it for you. That’s how heavy Clamfight are. One of my favorite reasons that Philadelphia is my favorite city, the two-guitar foursome checked in with an update on the progress for the completion of the album’s artwork. Though by the time it’s out, we’ll all no doubt long since have felt like we did indeed fight a glacier, rest assured this one’s going to be worth the wait.

Here’s the latest from frontdrummer Andy Martin and the cover art:

So it occurred to me that a little heads up to the general, riff-loving populace might be in order when at a show a few weeks back a buddy of mine said, “So when’s Chinese Democracy II coming out?” A little harsh, but more than a little warranted.

The former Clamfight 3 — now called I Versus the Glacier — is done. Way done in fact. It’s mixed and mastered and nearly ready for your greedy mitts. Currently we’re waiting on a final panel of art from the massively talented Josh Wright and then it’s on to JJ to decide when this puppy comes out.

What’s been behind the delay you ask? Life, really. We’re four guys with pretty demanding professional lives and are just as passionate at keeping roofs over our loved ones’ heads as we are rocking your tits off. Hell, one of us is launching a private audiology practice and I’m pecking this thing out while just minutes from hopping a plane to Iceland to spend my summer digging.

We’re busy guys but whenever JJ says I Versus the Glacier is coming out, we’ll be shelving as much of the work stuff as possible and looking to play this thing live for as many of you as we can possibly reach, while still holding onto those aforementioned roofs. Personally I can’t wait.

Once we have an actual release date to announce we’ll have an official track premiere, although a handful of you may have gotten your hands on that track from one of our recent shows. We’re proud of the finished product and honored to be working with JJ and The Maple Forum, and we can’t wait to get it out there to the loyal community. You’ll be hearing from us soon…

There you have it. In the meantime, if you haven’t gotten yours yet, there are a meager 60 copies of HeavyPink 7″ left, and they’re available through the Maple Forum BigCartel store. Thanks as always for your support of The Obelisk and its low-key, limited-type label arm.

Click here to purchase HeavyPink‘s HeavyPink 7″ by PayPal or other methods.

I don’t know if you’ve ever met him or spoken to him, but I can’t even begin to tell you how excellent it is to work with Tony Reed. He’s one of the most bullshit-free individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet, and by way of an example, when I emailed him yesterday to say, “Hey dude, I’ve sold a few copies of the HeavyPink 7″ in the last week and thought it might be a good time to do an update, you got anything new in the works?” it wasn’t even an hour later that he got back to me with info on two new albums he’s a part of and the news that he’s starting in on the next batch of HeavyPink songs already as well.

While I admit I’m hardly impartial, I’m really excited to see where Reed takes the one-man HeavyPink psychedelic project next. Of all his current bands and acts to which he’s contributed of late — Stone Axe, Mos Generator, Blood of the Sun, and so on — I really thought that HeavyPink was something different and unique within his catalog. Something he’d never done before. That was a big part of why I was so happy to help put it out, and with 67 copies left, I hope that if you wound up hearing the 7″, you’ve enjoyed it as well.

Reed informs that he, as ever, is busy. In addition to preparing for Stone Axe‘s set of Free covers at London Desertfest, which runs from April 6-8, and their European tour with Stubb and Trippy Wicked and the new releases detailed last week, he’s gotten started on what will be the first Mos Generator output in four years, a brand new studio album tentatively titled Nomad, for which there will also be a video for the song “Cosmic Ark.” In addition to this, Blood of the Sun‘s new album, Burning on the Wings of Desire, will be released by Listenable Records later this year.

So all good things, and in addition, Reed mixed and mastered the recently-lauded Stubb full-length, and recorded the new Saint Vitus album that’s due out this Spring, so it’s never too long before he’s heard from, one way or another.

Thanks for your support of HeavyPink, The Maple Forum and The Obelisk. To purchase one of the remaining 67 copies of HeavyPink‘s debut 7″, please follow the link above or simply click here.

As of this post, there are 76 copies of HeavyPink‘s HeavyPink 7″ left. If you don’t have yours yet, you can order it using the Paypal button above or by clicking here to go to the Maple Forum store. It’s come to my attention that some people who’ve bought the record have had trouble with the download card — the link on the little piece of paper doesn’t work. If that’s you, I’d hope that instead of, say, calling me a chump on Facebook, you’d reach out and ask me for a solution to the problem. I’m more than happy to help out anyone who’s had trouble in any way I can, whether it’s sending you the files direct or anything else I can do to rectify the situation.

A full version of “Flower and Song,” the A-side to the single, has made its way to YouTube, and I thought I’d include it here for you to check out if you haven’t yet seen/heard it. Once again, HeavyPink is the one-man psychedelic incarnation of Tony Reed, whose careful hands have in the past sculpted Mos Generator and Stone Axe from out of the rock and roll ether. Reed handles all the instruments, vocals and recording equipment himself, and I’m just glad he let me be involved at all.

Thanks to everyone so far who has ordered a copy of the record. Your support of The Maple Forum and The Obelisk is genuinely appreciated.

On the player below is an audio sampler of HeavyPink‘s HeavyPink 7″ that features both tracks included on the physical record itself, “Flower and Song” and “There is a Light.” There are currently 88 copies of the vinyl left, and if you haven’t yet made a purchase, you can do so using the PayPal button above or at The Maple Forum‘s store at BigCartel. Whether or not you buy the platter, I hope you enjoy the audio, which is followed by some refresher info in case you’ve missed the story so far:

[mp3player width=460 height=120 config=fmp_jw_widget_config.xml playlist=heavypink-sampler.xml]

HeavyPink is the new solo project of T. Dallas Reed, the multi-instrumentalist and driving force behind Port Orchard, Washington, rock revivalists Stone Axe and the guitarist and principle songwriter for Mos Generator, among other acts. Ever self-motivated, Reed performed all the instruments on HeavyPink‘s self-titled debut 7″ and recorded the songs himself at his own HeavyHead Studio earlier this year.

The HeavyPink 7″ is the fourth release on The Maple Forum (forum040) and finds Reed branching out from the straightforward nature of his past offerings and into more psychedelic territory — still maintaining his penchant for memorable verses and choruses, but crafting them into warm walls of sound that are deeply layered and richly toned. HeavyPink is unlike anything Reed has done in the past, and yet definitively his own, bearing the mark of his songwriting through both included cuts, “Flower and Song” and “There is a Light.”

All purchases of HeavyPink‘s HeavyPink 7″ come with a sticker and download card, and included in the download is the bonus track “Long Live the Mellotron,” on which Reed pays homage to the titular instrument and uses it to near-symphonic effect. Whispered vocals and other noises ensure that even those who’ve been a longtime follower of the man’s work are in for a genuine surprise.

Purchases can be made using the PayPal button above or at the Maple Forum store. Thanks as always for your support of The Obelisk and The Maple Forum.

Shipping Option

Domestic US $11.00International $13.00

Special thanks to Ollie Stygall from The Sleeping Shaman (he’s also the guitarist/vocalist of Grifter) for seeing fit to give the HeavyPink 7″ a thoughtful, well-written review. It’s definitely appreciated on this end, and makes for a great read if you haven’t seen it.

There are — true to the headline — 98 copies of HeavyPink‘s HeavyPink remaining in my possession. I’ve got emails out to a couple distro-type outlets, so hopefully it’ll start popping up in other places, and if you’re interested in doing a review, please drop a line and we’ll get that moving as well. Tony Reed also makes for a great phoner, as anyone who’s covered Stone Axe or Mos Generator over the years knows well.

Speaking of, I’ll be getting on the horn with him myself come tomorrow to talk about something very special and not necessarily HeavyPink related. It’s a big story, and I’m hoping to have it up before the end of the week, so stay tuned on that. I don’t want to give too much away, but yeah, it’s gonna be killer.

In the meantime, if you want a copy of the HeavyPink 7″, place your order using the PayPal button above or click here to go to the Maple Forum store at BigCartel. Thanks for your continued support.

Made my night last night after a long day at the office to get back to the valley and find the box HeavyPink records waiting for me on my porch, and today it makes my day to be able to let you know that as of Nov. 3, 2011, the latest project from T. Dallas Reed (Stone Axe, Mos Generator) is officially on sale!

Everyone who pre-ordered: Your packages are on the way. And for everyone else, click the Paypal button above or the cover image to go to the Maple Forum store and pick up your copy of the label’s rookie excursion into vinyl.

I know I’ve talked about it before, but for anyone who might have missed it, HeavyPink is Reed‘s foray into psychedelic walls of sound. The two cuts on the self-titled 7″ take his trademark songwriting ability to new places, sounding full and lush without being jammy or self-indulgent. He couldn’t stop writing catchy songs if he wanted to.

And in HeavyPink, it’s all him. It’s a solo project in the truest sense; Reed writes, plays all the instruments, sings, engineers the recording and sees it through from zero to vinyl. The result is a surprising turn from one of classic heavy rock’s most respected purveyors. This 7″ marks a new beginning for Reed, and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it in the small way that I am.

As always with The Maple Forum, the quantities are limited. We pressed 300 records, and I started with 125. Thanks to the pre-orders, there are currently 108 left, and as you can see above, all copies come with a sticker, a download card with an exclusive bonus track, and the high-quality vinyl itself. Thanks in advance for your support of The Obelisk, of The Maple Forum and of HeavyPink. More to come.

Click here to go to the official store of The Maple Forum.

Thanks to everyone who’s placed a pre-order so far for HeavyPink‘s HeavyPink 7″. I got the test pressing last week from Tony Reed in the mail and it sounds awesome. I think anyone who’s dug his work in Stone Axe or Mos Generator is really going to be into what he’s doing here. I am, anyway.

So, while I wait for the records to get here from the press, I just wanted to let everyone know that bundled with each copy of the 7″ — along with assorted stickers and other goodies Tony said he was going to throw in — there’s going to be a slip of paper with info on how to access a free download of “Flower and Song” and “There is a Light.” Not only that, but included in the zip file is the track “Long Live the Mellotron” — exclusive to the download only.

The whole release is pretty psyched-out, but “Long Live the Mellotron” gets the prize. Tony plays up the mournful side of the instrument and backs it with drums and choral sounds layered in. It’s kind of like Black Sabbath‘s “Supertzar,” but (obviously) with mellotron instead of guitar and some weirdo spoken parts. It’s a cool experiment that Tony, natural songwriter that he is, can’t help but turn into something cohesive.

Anyway, so you supportive souls who’ve already ordered the HeavyPink 7″, keep an eye out for that when your record comes in, and thanks as always. I’ve got 110 copies of HeavyPink‘s HeavyPink left for anyone who wants them. Buy using the Paypal button above or click here to go to the Maple Forum online store.

Click the PayPal button above or click here to go to the official Maple Forum store and place your pre-order now for the debut 7″ from HeavyPink — the latest project from T. Dallas Reed of Stone Axe and Mos Generator! Comprised of the two tracks “Flower and Song” and “There is a Light,” HeavyPink‘s first self-titled release finds Reed exploring a more psychedelic side of his songwriting.

Of course, Reed is known for a straightforward style — anyone who’s ever heard Stone Axe can tell you there’s no messing around involved — and on HeavyPink‘s first outing, he keeps the strong verse/chorus sensibility, but expands the tones. His guitars echo, his drums seem more spaced out, and his vocals on the chugging “There is a Light” emanate from some deep chasm of the soul. Fans of Reed‘s work and newcomers alike will I hope be as thrilled as I am at the direction he’s taking with HeavyPink.

And it’s very much him taking the direction. Reed plays all the instruments on HeavyPink‘s HeavyPink, and he recorded and mixed the songs himself at his HeavyHead studio in his native Port Orchard, Washington. It’s a huge sound, and all the better played loud. As always, I hope you enjoy it.

The 7″ marks The Maple Forum‘s first foray into vinyl following three successful CD releases. There are 300 total copies, of which I’m being given 125 to sell (and pre-sell, for those who don’t want to take their chances). Given the sold out prior Maple Forum discs and Reed‘s dedicated fanbase, I don’t expect them to last long. Price is $11 domestic, $13 international, and all 7″s will be carefully packed with bubble wrap in a padded envelope. Since the release is so limited, I don’t want risk any damage during shipping.

If you place your pre-order now, I fill out the shipping label with your info and send you the disc as soon as they come in, which should be another two or three weeks, tops. You’ll know as soon as they get here.

Thank you in advance for your continued support of The Maple Forum project and The Obelisk, and thanks to Reed for allowing me to help him spread the word on this new creative avenue. Here’s to good music.

Click here to purchase HeavyPink by HeavyPink.